"he ran a 4 minute mile"
"wait just a moment" "in a mo" "it only takes a minute" "in just a bit"
"the moment he arrived the party began"
"the secretary keeps the minutes of the meeting"
"we live an hour from the airport" "its just 10 minutes away"
"two minute whiplike threads of protoplasm" "reduced to a microscopic scale"
"a minute inspection of the grounds" "a narrow scrutiny" "an exact and minute report"
误 He will come to give me his hand in the minute.
正 He will come to give me his hand in a minute.
析 表示“马上,立刻”,应该说in a minute,而不是in the minute,其中的不定冠词不能改成定冠词。
我需要的只是休息几分钟。误 All I wanted was a few minutes of rest.
正 All I wanted was a few minutes' rest.
析 时间短语作定语,其所有格通常用 -s' 或 -'s形式,不用 of。
他恰好晚了3分钟。误 He arrived at exactly three past.
正 He arrived at exactly three minutes past.
析 如非逢5逢10等整数, minute一般不省略。
完成这项练习,5分钟时间并不算长。误 Five minutes are not a long time to complete this exercise.
正 Five minutes is not a long time to complete this exercise.
析 英语中习惯把表示时间、金钱、距离等的短语看作是一个整体,故谓语动词须用单数。
谁做会议记录?误 Who will take the minute of the meeting?
正 Who will take the minutes of the meeting?
析minute作“会议记录”解时,只用复数形式。